


Looking at the Stars

by CalliLake



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, HSAU, High School AU, I guess it's sort of a Twilight AU, Slow Burn, maybe I'll make Carm sparkly, relationship drama, she certainly has a sparkling personality, since they're in high school it just FEELS Twilight-y to me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2020-12-31 02:40:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21052604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CalliLake/pseuds/CalliLake
Summary: New girl in town Laura Hollis joins the school play, and her bubbly personality isn't a match for the current reigning queen of the theatre social circle, a grumpy goth girl named Carmilla.





	1. New Girl

“Week two update: um, it’s week two. The end of week two. And I still don’t have any friends.”

Laura tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked into the webcam. It stared back at her, a single, unfeeling black eye. She took a deep, slow breath - her video journals had always brought her solace, and now was not the moment to start getting camera shy. 

“I’m embarrassed,” she said. “I want friends, you know? I wouldn’t have spent this much money on clothes if I didn’t care about making an impression. Moving isn’t easy. But nobody seems to notice me, and I think I bought the wrong kind of clothes. I thought people at a private school would look really, you know, country club, but they don’t. They look normal and I look like a sixteen year old professional golfer.” She rolled her eyes, thinking of the pink polo she had worn that day. She’d since changed into pajamas. “There’s one nice person, I guess - in my chemistry class. I don’t think they’re too happy about getting paired with me, even though they’re nice, but maybe I’m just being paranoid. Their name’s Laf. It’s short for LaFontaine. It took me two classes to figure out they weren’t telling me their name was Laugh.”

She buried her head in her hands. 

“I need a hot chocolate. Like, a big one. I’ll see you later, journal.”

* * * *

The beginning of week three rolled in, cold and soft and snowy, and Laura was comfortable in her argyle sweater and ugg boots. She felt like a real news anchor when she walked into school with her new hair, highlighted and curled, and just a little mascara accenting her soft brown eyes. She had been unpopular and lonely at her old school, but she was determined to change that here. Two weeks wasn’t that long, people just weren’t used to her yet. Today would be the day. Someone would invite her to something - to a party, to a study session, to a lunch table, she didn’t care. Something.

It happened in fifth period chemistry. She pushed her goggles up on top of her head, glowering at her worksheet. The room hummed with the chatter of partners talking to one another, complaining, explaining, gossiping. She and her partner, Laf, hadn’t talked much since the experiment had finished. Laura glared harder at her paper.

She heard a dry cough, and looked over at Laf. They arched one eyebrow.

“I heard oxygen went on a date with potassium.”

“What?”

“Yeah. It went OK.” 

Laura was quiet for a moment, mouth slightly open, and then she began to giggle.

Laf smiled. “That’s better. You looked like you were going to tear your worksheet in half.”

“I was thinking about it.”

“I haven’t been a great lab partner.”

“Oh, you’re fine-” Laura started to say, more than a little taken aback, but Laf talked right over her.

“You’re new and everything, and I’ve been just so moody - my, uh, best friend and I are fighting, you don’t care about that but it’s true, and I haven’t been helpful at all - it’s not your fault, and you need help with your worksheet. I’m good at this stuff.”

“I know.” Laura gestured to Laf’s finished worksheet. 

They grinned sheepishly. “Yeah. Let me walk you through it.”

It was the longest conversation Laura had had with anyone at the new school, and she was happier than she would have thought possible by the time the worksheet was done. 

“Have you joined any clubs yet?”

“No.” She perked up a little. “Is there a school paper?”

“Nah, just yearbook, but maybe you can start one. Do you like acting?”

Laura blushed. “Um, yeah, I’ve done some acting.”

A younger, bolder Laura had loved theatre. Sixteen year old Laura was embarrassed, but determined to not let that stop her this time. 

“Good,” Laf said with relish, “The drama club is in desperate need of some new blood. I just build sets, I don’t have any stage presence to speak of, but there are some really cool people there. I think you’d like it. Auditions for Midsummer are on Friday, you should come.”

“I like Shakespeare.”

“I figured.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I saw the Hufflepuff socks you wore yesterday. You’re a nerd. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

Laura smiled, a real, full smile that somehow still managed to be less toothy than Laf’s. “Thanks.”

“Any time.” Laf reached over and patted her desk, an affectionate gesture that made Laura grin even wider.

She couldn’t hide the spring in her step as she walked to her locker after the bell rang, gathering her thick coat in her arms in preparation to brave the chilly walk to the coffee shop where she did her homework after school. As she walked outside, she saw the same sight she always did, and as she had every day, she slowed her walk just a touch, looking at it curiously.

It was a motorcycle, silver and black, parked in one of the school’s extremely limited parking spots. It shone in the cold winter light, and curious Laura, in her pastel blue argyle sweater and light gray winter coat, felt an indescribable urge to take off her mittens and touch the chrome with her bare fingers. She realized she had stopped walking, hovering under one of the small trees that struggled to make the parking lot seem less industrial. Something held her there, staring at the motorcycle. Who drove it? She had never seen them.

She waited, pretending to go through her backpack, as if she might have forgotten something in her locker. This is what a real journalist would do, she told herself. Investigate. She stood in the cold for fifteen minutes, and was about to give up and leave when the owner of the motorcycle approached.

Laura forgot that she was supposed to be pretending to search her bag and instead just stared at the girl who was carrying a helmet under one arm. She was dressed from head to toe in black, from her leather boots to her eyeliner, and walked confidently, chin up, with the dark brown gaze of a bored model. Laura was suddenly very aware of her white knit hat with the pompom on top. 

Was the girl wearing lipstick or were her lips just flushed from the cold? 

Laura gave her head a quick shake and hurried in the opposite direction, not caring that she’d have to walk the long way around the parking lot in order to get to the coffee shop. She just didn’t want to walk past that girl. She looked scary. Hot, but scary. Scary hot.

“Are you kidding me right now?” she muttered to herself under her breath. “Shut up, brain.”

There were lots of things to think about besides girls. She needed to make friends before she could even think about getting a crush on someone, regardless of what that particular someone happened to drive. There was no point. 

Once she was done with her homework, she’d read Midsummer Night’s Dream again. That would remind her what her goals really needed to be. She’d wrap her hands around a paper cup of hot chocolate, and that would help her stop thinking about running her fingers over chrome.


	2. New Girl on Stage

The week went by slowly, but the next day, Laf gave Laura their phone number - “Let’s study some weekend,” they said, and Laura smiled the rest of the day - and Laura was really starting to feel like things were looking up by the time she walked into the theatre on Friday afternoon. She looked around curiously, taking in the room. Old, dark red curtains hid the stage from view, and rows of chairs upholstered with that same deep fabric swept up from the stage to the back hall, all the way up to a balcony trimmed with bronze railing. She clutched her phone in both hands, looking nervously down the aisle to the group of twenty or so people, sitting on the edge of the orchestra pit, sprawled across the floor, talking, laughing. 

She stopped walking, frozen with nerves.

Laf saw her. “Laura! Hey!”

Nervously, Laura waved back, and hurried down to stand next to the only person she knew. There was a mix of people there - people from every class, eager freshmen to bored-looking seniors, including people she recognized as jocks, she realized with some surprise. A red-haired girl was gesturing with long arms, telling a story to a group that seemed to be about high jumping. Laura leaned over to Laf.

“No athletes did drama at my old school.”

Shrugging, Laf said, “Everyone does it here. Art kids get more into it, you know how it is.” Laura wasn’t sure how it was at all, but she didn’t say so. They pushed a sheet of paper into Laura’s hand. “I saved this for you. Fill it in and go put it in the stack on the stage.

It was a half sheet of paper with a few questions about theatre experience. Laura’s handwriting was worse than usual, she couldn’t help but notice, from her shaking hands. She felt so young in this crowd. Fearful of making a mistake. 

She watched quietly as more people filed in.

Everyone gradually settled down and went quiet, as one person at a time began to get onstage and recite their monologues. Laura had picked her favorite - Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech, while a little darker than the tone of Midsummer, still felt right, somehow. Her knees were shaking as the director, a teacher whose name Laura had already forgotten, got to her paperwork and read her name out loud. It echoed softly.

Laura could smell the curtain, the dusty velvet, feel the heat of the spotlight on her face, the sounds of her shoes on the hollow stage as she moved, and she felt a glint of something familiar alive inside of her, and the words took over. The iambs had a way of pulling themselves out of her body, in a light and mischievous rhythm, her body moving after it as if tugged by magnets. She got louder and louder as her speech went on, her ears ringing with the sound of her voice filling the room, and she remembered the days she had spent at home in middle school, reading these speeches out loud to a cold and uncaring mirror, and here she was, on a stage, with one friend in the audience, and that was all it took. She felt free.

The feeling disappeared as her last line rang out, her peace shattered by the sounds of snapping from the audience. They had snapped for everyone, but the sound still froze her momentarily, and she stared out into the darkness for one moment, eyes wide, before she scurried offstage.

As much as she wanted to sprint out the back doors, she sat down heavily next to Laf. They leaned over and whispered, “You told me you liked theatre, you didn’t tell me you were amazing.”

Laura made a small noise, unable to come up with any words. Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel a vein pulsing in her neck.

“I think you’re the best one so far.”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

She barely heard anything until auditions were over and the house lights came back on. Everyone was gathering their bags when a girl called out, “Hey, Laf! Are you going to Carmilla’s on Friday?”

“I don’t know,” Laf said, “I would, but I’ve got this experiment going on at home and I don’t really want to leave it by itself for too many hours. It’s growing a little bit every day.”

The girl wrinkled her nose. “Well, we’ll miss you if you don’t come.”

“I could always bring the-”

“Mmn, I don’t think that a good idea.”

“Um,” Laura said. “Sorry. Who’s Carmilla?”

“Oh my god, I’m so rude,” the girl said. “I’m Elizabeth Spielsdorf.”

Laura recognized the name and suddenly remembered that this girl had introduced herself as the president of the club before auditions had started. She had been so busy wiping her palms on her jeans she hadn’t registered Elizabeth’s face. “Yeah, I know,” she said. “President Spielsdorf.”

She beamed. “Yeah, that’s me. I’m not acting this year, I’m stage managing. And good thing, too - you killed it up there.”

Laura blushed bright red and stammered out a few words that didn’t go together.

“But I can’t say anything more until the cast list goes up next week,” she said breezily. “I’m glad you came down. I’ll see you both later.”

“She didn’t answer my question,” Laura said, watching her go. 

“What was the question?”

“Who’s Carmilla?”

“Oh,” Laf said. “She’s a junior. She kind of… well, she’s one of those people who finds a way to know everyone, even though she’s… well. You’ll meet her soon. She does costuming every year.”

“Is she having a party this weekend?”

“She has one every weekend, and it’s not really a party, just a get together. Just people. Doing art stuff, talking. She has a-” they looked around and lowered their voice- “she has kind of a weird family, and they live in this house pretty far outside of town. I’d love to show you the place, but you can’t come until Carmilla invites you. I bet she will. You’re a cool girl, Hollis.”

“Oh, thanks. I dunno, but thanks.”

They nudged her with their elbow as they walked outside. “I mean it.”

Laura felt like they really did.

* * * * 

“Today was a good day, journal.” Laura crossed her legs. “I think I did really well on my math test, and we started making mugs in ceramics. I’m going to make a TARDIS-shaped one. And I had auditions for Midsummer! I think I actually did well. This place is nothing like the old school. I…” her voice trailed off, and she looked thoughtfully at the camera. “I was really determined to not be myself here so that we wouldn’t get a repeat of that whole mess, but I think that was the wrong idea. Laf’s not like anyone I’ve ever met, and people seem to really like them. Maybe they won’t care that I’m a lesbian. They as in Laf, and they as in everyone.” 

She crossed her legs under herself on her desk chair and squeezed her ankles as she went quiet again, thinking. “I didn’t see the girl on the motorcycle today. I’ve looked for her at school, in the hallways and stuff, but even though I see the motorcycle almost every day, it’s almost like she’s not there at all. She’s probably a senior or something.”

As she got ready for bed, her head was spinning with the excitement of the day. She had done well with auditions, spent time with her new friend, and there was the promise of someday being invited to a weekly party outside of town on the horizon. When she was at her old school, she had never gone to bed so excited to get back to school the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many chapters will it be in this Laura/Carmilla fic until we actually hear Carmilla speak? I have no idea!


	3. New Girl Puts Faces to Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura gets a part in the play and meets a few key characters.

Laura stood with her mouth slightly open in front of the cast list.

It was Friday morning, a week after auditions. Laura hadn’t let herself wonder what part she might get, too nervous to want anything, but her name on that list filled her with a rush of courage that rose in a bright blush on her neck and cheeks. She was alone, having chosen to avoid the morning rush to the list and look in between first and second period, so she didn’t feel ashamed at all as she stood there, looking, feeling her heartbeat. She blinked a few times, just to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. She wasn’t. There it was: Puck, Laura Hollis. 

She was glad she hadn’t joined any other clubs. That was going to be a lot of lines to memorize.

Her gaze ran down the list of people, skimming over names she didn’t recognize, until her eyes settled on one that she did. The first name listed under costumes and makeup was Carmilla Karnstein. So Laf had been right - she would be meeting this mysterious party girl soon after all. Laura hadn’t asked about her since that conversation, not wanting to seem overeager, and Instagram-stalking had yielded only a private profile with an icon of a black cat. Maybe a lead role in the school play would earn her an invitation to that party.

“You really shook things up,” Laf said when Laura reached chemistry that afternoon and dropped her books on the table with a thud. A copy of Midsummer rested on the top.

“What do you mean?”

“Getting Puck. I’m glad I invited you, you’re amazing, but some of the upperclassmen might be pretty… surprised that you landed that role your first time here.”

“Hmm. I hadn’t thought of that. I was just thinking about getting that role as a girl, not as an underclassman.”

“Puck’s gender is mischief,” Laf said firmly. “Anyway though, people can be competitive. I’m here for you, though.”

In that moment, Laura still had too much of an adrenaline rush to even care about what anyone else might think, a feeling that had been absent for so long that all she wanted to do was close her eyes and feel it. 

“Are you ready for the table reading?”

“I’m so ready,” she said. “I’m really excited to meet everyone. I was so scared at auditions I don’t think I even really saw anyone’s faces.”

“You’ll see them today.”

“Who’s the coolest?”

“Um, probably Danny.” They propped one hand up on their chin, looking at Laura thoughtfully. “I think you’ll like her a lot.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. She’s a junior, and pretty smart for a jock. She does track. She’s probably going to get a full ride scholarship for it.”

Laura remembered the tall girl she’d seen talking about high jump. “Does she have red hair?”

“Yeah!”

“She’s cute,” Laura said without thinking. Then, she panicked. But before she could stammer out some kind of not-in-a-gay-way walkback, Laf had already responded.

“Yeah, she’s single if you want to go for it, but I’ve heard she gets pretty jealous. That’s why she and her last girlfriend broke up.”

Laura’s voice was a squeak. “Cool.”

“Anyway, she’s playing Helena. Her best friend Kirsch is playing Lysander - he’s a jock too, but um, less smart. Pure of heart, dumb of ass, as the poets say.”

Laura giggled.

“And of course, there’s Carmilla.”

The bell rang then, cutting Laf off. Laura’s nose wrinkled in disappointment. 

By the time chemistry was over, she was too excited about the table reading to ask again. She walked side by side with Laf through the throngs of students, making their way to the theatre. As they were agreeing to sit next to each other, Laura interrupted herself. “Wait, I thought you were building sets? Why are you coming to read?”

“I’m playing Moth,” they said bitterly. “I’m supposed to expand my horizons. I’ve been doing this since I was a freshman and haven’t spent a second onstage - well, in anything except my all black tech ensemble. I prefer it that way, but whatever.”

“It could be worse,” Laura said. 

“It could,” Laf agreed. “Besides, if I do it now, maybe they won’t make me do it again.”

The dusty smell of the theatre welcomed them in, and they saw a circle of people sitting onstage, sprawled out on coats or sitting neatly cross-legged, all holding copies of the scripts in various editions. Elizabeth waved at them, and Laura waved back shyly.

No one else acknowledged them, and Laura felt a familiar pang of nervousness as she sat down on the black stage. She tugged the soft yellow sleeves of her shirt down farther over her hands and lowered her eyes to the script.

“Don’t be scared,” Laf whispered.

Laura managed a half-smile.

“We’re just waiting on one more,” Elizabeth said in a commanding voice. “Then we’ll get started.”

The last person to arrive was a girl who Laura could only guess was a senior, by her relaxed walk and the way she carried her leather bag casually over one shoulder. She wore a white t-shirt and jeans, an outfit that could have tricked someone into thinking it was effortless if it hadn’t been for the spiky heeled boots she wore with it. Her light brown hair was curled, and side-swept bangs framed eyes that caught the stage light - what color were those? Laura squinted. Brown? Hazel? 

The girl walked confidently across the stage and sat in a seat that had clearly been saved for her, right next to Elizabeth.

“Perfect, our Hermia is here and we can start. Let’s go around and do names real quick. Want to go first?”

The brown haired girl nodded and raised one hand. It was heavily adorned with rings. “Hey, I’m Elle, I’m playing Hermia.”

Laura knew she wouldn’t have to be told that name twice.

The reading went smoothly, and Laura was just beginning to feel comfortable in the group by the time it was over. As everyone began to pack up their things, the chatter turned from the play to the party that was happening that night. Carmilla’s party. Laura noticed some of the cast members, Danny and Kirsch among them, rolling their eyes as the subject came up. Were they not invited? Laura wondered as she eyed Danny. It seemed strange for someone so obviously popular to be snubbed by anyone, let alone someone as evasive as this Carmilla.

“I got my invite a few weeks into my first play,” Laf said when they noticed Laura eavesdropping. 

“They didn’t,” Laura murmured, tilting her head towards Kirsch and Danny.

“Carm doesn’t like… well, I think it’s loud that she doesn’t like. I’m honestly not sure. I’ve known her for a year now and I still feel like I don’t know her. If you want to see her though, she always picks Elle up. If we go outside and wait, we’ll see her.”

They went outside, stepping out into the crisp, cold air. The winter sun was beginning to sink, lighting the parking lot with a soft pink that made even the cars and the street lamps look otherworldly. They hurried along the sidewalk until they had put some distance between themselves and the double doors, and then sat down on one of the benches, their breath escaping in clouds along with Laura’s giggles.

“Shh! Don’t make it weird.”

“You made it weird first! You’ve hyped this girl so much, if she’s boring I’m going to be so mad at you.”

“She’s not boring!”

Laura heard a roar from behind her that couldn’t be mistaken for a car engine. Her giggles stopped abruptly as she whipped around to see where the sound was coming from. 

Her instinct had been right. Not thirty feet away from her, a motorcycle had come to a stop. The girl riding took her helmet off and shook out her wavy, black hair, and Laura caught a glimpse of a thick black choker around her pale neck. She looked dangerous, and Laura felt that same bright burn of curiosity that had followed her around for days when she’d first seen the motorcycle parked in the lot. 

Elle walked out of the front doors, carrying a motorcycle helmet under one arm.

Laura turned to Laf, eyes wide. Laf didn’t seem to register her slightly frightened expression, and just smiled. 

“That’s her. That’s Carmilla.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost posted this before catching that I had written "Laura murmed" instead of "Laura murmured." That's what I get for staying up late writing!! Thanks for reading!!


	4. New Girl and Pal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura finds out about Laf's relationship with their best friend.

Laura propped her chin up on her hands and started into her webcam. It was Saturday evening, and she’d already finished all of her homework, desperate to distract herself from her thoughts. It was not working.

“I don’t know what I expected,” she said. “Of course motorcycle girl is Carmilla. It makes complete sense. I guess I’m not sure she’s dating Elle - I wasn’t brave enough to ask. They could just be best friends, but it didn’t really look like it. Is everyone here gay? I feel like I’m in a completely different world.” She sighed. “It’s not a bad one, though, just confusing.”

She held up her copy of Midsummer and showed it to the camera. “I have a lot to memorize. I’m really glad Laf talked me into doing this. They’re turning out to be basically the best friend I could ask for. I’m so freakin’ glad we got paired up in chemistry. Sometimes dumb luck is amazing. Anyway, speaking of Laf, I need to head out so I can meet them for coffee! Well, they’re having coffee, anyway, you already know what I’m having. Talk to you this evening, journal!”

* * * * 

“You know, your dad won’t know if you get coffee.”

“It’s not about that,” Laura said indignantly, wrapping her hands more tightly around her mug of hot chocolate. She’d cheerfully ordered it ‘for here,’ and it had come in a full-to-the-brim white ceramic mug, with an enormous pile of whipped cream on top. “Coffee’s gross.” She scooped a big spoonful of whipped cream off the top of her cocoa and pointed it at Laf. “YOU’RE gross.”

Laf stuck their tongue out. “No, you.”

“You! How much espresso is in that?”

“Four shots, not that it’s any of your business.”

“Four shots of Bitter Juice and water?”

“It’s shots in the dark, so it’s actually four shots of Bitter Juice in more Bitter Juice. I prefer to think of it as Awake Juice, though.” They paused, thoughtfully looking down at their drink. “Or maybe Invincible Juice. Anyway, I need the energy to deal with my experiment.”

Laura didn’t ask. She preferred not to know. “This isn’t about your horrible taste in beverages. You said you wanted to talk to me about something?”

“Yeah.” Laf sighed heavily. “So, you haven’t met her yet, but my best friend and I are fighting. We’ve been fighting for a while, and you’re the only person except her - well, I guess the only person, now - that I’m good friends with.”

Laura took another bite of whipped cream and waited for Laf to keep going.

“It started when I started going by Laf instead of my first name. It scared her, I think - which is dumb because she doesn’t go by her first name either - she just had a really hard time with it, and it got even worse when I came out as nonbinary and changed my pronouns. It’s not that she’s transphobic or something, like, I know that she isn’t and that just… makes it worse, somehow. Like it’s not about the situation, it’s about me.”

“It’s not about you,” Laura said. “It’s about her, almost for sure.”

“Be that as it may, I told her a while ago that if she didn’t respect all of me she didn’t respect any of me, and until she learned to do that I needed her to stop hanging out with me and talking to me. And so she did.”

“When was this?”

“Early December.” Laf looked sullenly at their drink. “It’s been almost two months.”

“And you’ve been friends for how long?”

“Since second grade.”

Laura puffed out her cheeks, exhaling heavily. “Jeez.”

“I know. It really sucks.”

“Do you want to talk to her and figure things out?”

“I don’t know.” Laf took a long drink. “It’s like, she’s the one that’s being rude and stubborn and impossible, right?”

“I dunno.” Laura looked around, taking in the soft wood-and-twine atmosphere, the chalkboards scrawled with specials, the warm white-gold glow of Christmas lights that hung over the windows and framed the taupe curtains. “It sounds like it.”

“It’s not that you’re not great. It’s just that when I pictured myself making another best friend, I always pictured adding that person to Per and I, not being without her.”

“I get it,” Laura said. “Not to be weird, but like… you guys were just friends?”

“I mean, I - well, it’s not - it’s sort of - we - we were like-”

Laura giggled.

Laf paused and composed themselves. “I don’t know. I hadn’t gotten to the point where I could even start thinking about that before we’d stopped talking to each other. I was busy figuring myself out, you know?”

“Yeah,” Laura said, “I get that.”

“Anyway, maybe I’ll talk to her. I just figure you’ll meet her soon, and when you do, I want you to know. She’s the school treasurer, so she’ll be helping with Prom planning and you’ll see her everywhere. I don’t need her besmirching my good name to you.”

“Consider yourself besmirch-proofed.”

“Thanks.”

“Maybe you should write her a letter?”

“Enough about me,” Laf said firmly. “How does it feel to be a starlet?”

Laura laughed. “I don’t really know yet. We’ve barely gotten started.”

“Have you talked to Danny yet?”

“Nope.” She shook her head. “I want to, though. She’s so… tall.”

“She is extremely tall.”

“Is everyone at this school gay, by the way?”

“Seems like it,” Laf said idly. “It’s nice, isn’t it?”

“It’s a big change.”

“Not so friendly at your old school, huh?”

Laura looked at her cuticles. “I didn’t even get a chance to come out before someone figured me out and told everyone. I didn’t have any friends in eighth grade or freshman year. If we hadn’t moved, I don’t know what I would have done.”

“Well, you’re here now.”

Laura grinned. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

The sun sank in the shop’s window, slowly, and the friends stayed there until the stars began appearing in the winter sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Four! Yay! 
> 
> I worked out an outline for this fic - not all of it, but a lot, and broke the plot up into chapters, each of which will come in at one to two thousand words each. I plan to update a chapter a day five days a week, taking Fridays and Tuesdays off. That's the plan right now, and even though it's subject to change, I thought I'd share with you! As always, thanks for reading!


	5. New Girl's New Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura has a chat with Danny.

It was a Monday afternoon. There was no rehearsal that day, the director was at some teaching conference, and Laura wasn’t about to waste any time she could be using memorizing her lines. She was curled up in the school library in an obscenely large armchair. That’s what private school funding gets, she had thought as she’d made herself comfortable. Bigger cushions. 

She chewed on the end of her light purple highlighter as she read, listening to the sounds of the library and only half-processing them. The hum of voices, the whir and scrape of printers, and the thumps of people setting their things down on various surfaces filled the space and echoed through the shelves, the sounds of a library well used. There had never been this many people in the library at her old school - she knew about that, too, since she’d spent a lot of time there. Hiding, honestly, with her nose stuck in a new novel or Harry Potter for the thirtieth time, depending on how bad the day had been. The chairs certainly hadn’t been this comfortable.

It hadn’t been so hard to concentrate, either. She started the same monologue over for what must have been the fifth time, her mind always wandering somewhere else, to thoughts of the people in the theatre troupe. How had she become so fascinated with all of them? Beautiful, glamorous Elle who wore heels everywhere, even to ride on the back of a motorcycle, tall, athletic Danny, mysterious Carmilla. And of course, Laf, who was smarter than anyone their age had the right to be. Laura supposed it wasn’t so strange that she was so interested in everyone. They were all so… something. They all had something about them, a kind of magic that drew her in and made her feel like she’d been meant to find them, even though she was barely getting to know them. 

“Studying on your day off?”

Laura jumped, and quickly found the source of the voice. Danny stood to her left, legs akimbo. To be fair, Danny always stood that way. It was the only way to be anywhere near everyone else without slouching. Laura stuttered for a moment and regained herself. “Um, yeah, studying. I like it. Studying. You know.”

Danny sat down on the floor in front of her chair. Her red hair was down, and she wore a faded gray and blue baseball tee. “Yeah, I gathered. I always see you sitting in the chairs in the theatre, trying to get all your homework done before rehearsal starts. We haven’t really talked, but I know you’re responsible.”

Laura snorted. “I try, but I wouldn’t go that far.”

“It’s a good thing.” She grinned, a sparkle in her wide, light eyes. “If you learn your time management, you can pick up a sport on top of theatre next fall.” Her eyes quickly skimmed Laura, a movement so fast that Laura wouldn’t have caught it if she hadn’t been looking so intently at Danny’s face. “A little thing like you would make a perfect setter.”

“Oh, volleyball? Um, I don’t think so.”

“Why? You don’t seem uncoordinated.”

Laura remembered the awkward and terrifying locker rooms of her past and paused for a moment, realizing how different that experience would probably be here. “You know, I have done martial arts for a long time. Maybe I’d like a team sport.”

“Yeah, maybe. But sometimes one on one can be more fun.”

Laura’s mouth went dry.

Danny went on. “I’ve done some jui jitsu - you know, floorwork stuff. It’s not easy when you’re all legs. I like to stick to things that let me run.”

“If you’re such a jock, how’d you end up in the theatre troupe?” Laura asked, completely desperate to move the conversation away from Danny’s legs before she fainted from embarrassment. As it was, she was blushing so hard she thought she might get heat stroke. 

“I want to look well rounded on my college applications, and theatre is fun. If I’m going to run for an Ivy, I need to be more than fast.”

“Don’t you already know what college you’re going to? You’re a senior, right?”

“I’m probably going to take a gap year and travel,” Danny said in a voice that indicated she thought this was no big deal. She began fixing the knot on on of her converse sneakers. They were dark green. “So I won’t know for a while longer.”

“Oh,” Laura said, unsure of how else to respond. “Cool.”

“I guess.” She looked back up. “What are you doing theatre for?”

“Well, Laf invited me, and I really wanted to make some friends. I’ve liked acting for a while, but I hadn’t done much since I was little besides, you know, singing High School Musical alone in my room.”

Danny laughed a loud, bright laugh. “That sounds familiar. I’m glad Laf invited you. They’re pretty cool, you know, a total social floater. That’s rare for a sophomore. I really think they’re friends with everybody.”

“It seems that way. We got paired up in chem class, but I have this feeling they would have found me somehow even if that hadn’t happened.”

“And is their plan working? Are you making friends in theatre?”

“Um, it’s a little too soon to say, but I certainly feel comfortable.”

Danny gave her a long, thoughtful look. Laura got the distinct feeling she was being appraised, and was about to interrupt the silence when Danny said, “You’re a cool chick, Hollis.”

“Oh. Thanks?”

“Between you and me,” she said, “Not everyone who just hangs out with the theatre kids is so great. Stick with people like me and Laf, who do other things, too. It gets a little cult-y in that inner circle, you know what I mean?”

Laura shook her head. 

“You’ll see. But Laf is great, and me and my buddy Kirsch and any of the Summer Society girls who are also in theatre will totally look out for you in case somebody tries to suck you into that creepy clique.”

“Summer Society?”

“Oh, it’s just what we call the women’s all-athletics club. You should come by in the spring sometime, when stuff really gets going. Most of the stuff happens, you know, in summer, when school sports aren’t happening and taking up all of our time. You could find out if you’re interested in being a setter.” She winked.

“That sounds fun,” Laura said. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” Danny pushed herself to her feet. “See you around, Hollis.”

“See you around.”

Laura sighed a long, relieved sigh as Danny walked away. She’d gotten through an entire conversation with a hot senior without completely humiliating herself, and that was definitely something to celebrate. She’d have to reward herself with a few extra cookies when she got home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably put in the tags that this is going to be pretty drama heavy. But hey, isn't that what we want in a high school AU?


	6. New Girl Tells a Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura meets Perry and finds out who will be in charge of her costumes.

Sometimes, when Laura was quite sure that there was no one in any of the stalls, she would stand in front of the mirror in the school restroom and give herself a little pep talk - in the form of a broadcast, obviously. She counted herself in in the mirror, holding up three, two fingers, one finger, then pointing. 

“Good afternoon Panthers, this is Laura Hollis, coming to you live from the quietest bathroom on the second floor. It looks like today is going to be snowy, just like every other day this month, and of course, after school today I’ll be heading to rehearsal, where I’m sure to do an absolutely fantastic job as Puck. But first, today at lunch, I’ll be stopping by student council’s weekly open meeting to see this Lola Perry for myself. Laf did say I’d be seeing her at some point, and they did not specify that I wasn’t allowed to go out of my way to try to meet her myself. Though I’m not sure they’d approve, I’m sure they won’t have any complaints when I figure out what happened from Perry’s point of view so they can get back to friendship as usual. Until next time, I’m Laura Hollis, and this is channel eight news.”

But in spite of her faux-confidence and power posing, she didn’t quite make it to the classroom where the meetings were held and instead found herself sitting on a bench, eating her croissant sandwich and reading her script, more to look busy than anything else. She’d have to come up with a way to meet Perry that didn’t involve sitting in a room with a bunch of strangers.

The opportunity came sooner than expected. She heard voices approaching from her left and didn’t move her gaze from her book, but tuned in to the conversation. 

“Listen, Lola, the Prom isn’t for another four months, and none of the past treasurers have wanted a budget finalized this early. It really isn’t-”

A prim voice interrupted. “I know it might seem early, but the sooner we have a budget, the sooner we can book a venue.”

“Prom is in the same hotel every year, we don’t need to-”

“And why should it be? It could be a much more refined affair if we had a little more time to negotiate with somewhere that has a bigger, more lavish ballroom. The town loves this school, someone would cut us a deal if we approached them early enough.”

Laura couldn’t resist. She looked up from her sandwich and saw a harried looking boy walking beside a girl wearing sensible shoes, dress pants, and a dark green turtleneck. Her hair was in tight curls, and she was walking apace. The boy struggled to keep up.

“The president won’t-”

“Then I’ll discuss it with her. It’s not like you outrank me.”

“There’s a reason it didn’t come up in the notes today, it’s too soon!”

They were about to pass Laura, and she realized she had to act fast. Without thinking she stood up and stepped into their way, almost causing a collision.

“Excuse me,” she said, trying to speak more slowly than normal to hide how quickly her wheels were spinning inside her head, “Are you Lola Perry?”

“That’s right.” The girl looked impatient. 

“I’m Laura,” Laura said, “And I’m, um, the drama club’s new… student council ambassador.”

“Oh. Good to meet you.”

“You too. I was planning on emailing you this evening, but since I have you here, I should just tell you, um, I couldn’t help overhearing that you’re discussing Prom, and I…” she faltered for a second. “Oh! I’m supposed to tell you that since the drama club is going to be able to create some really beautiful sets for Midsummer thanks to our new funding, we would be happy to loan those to student council for decor, depending on the theme. But if you’re holding Prom in a different location this year, there probably isn’t a need.”

If Perry was confused by that, she didn’t show it. “Alright, well, thank you and the theatre club very much, I’ll be sure to let someone know if that would be helpful.”

“Yeah, awesome,” Laura said. “I like your turtleneck.”

Perry smiled, a big, infectious smile. “Thank you! It’s my favorite. Nobody ever says anything about it, though.”

“Well, it’s nice. Um, I’ll see you around!”

“Goodbye,” Perry said, and hurried on her way, the boy still trailing after her. Laura watched them go, feeling a little bit lost and like she hadn’t accomplished much. Perry did seem wound pretty tightly, she thought as she made her way back to her bench and her sandwich, but not mean-spirited or anything. She wondered what was really going on in Perry’s head when it came to Laf.

She was still thinking about it when she entered the theatre. She was so preoccupied that she almost walked into a tall, broad boy, who took a surprised step backward. As she looked up into his face, she recognized him as Kirsch, Danny’s friend, and the play’s Lysander. 

“Sorry, little hottie,” he said in a tone so polite it took Laura a second to process what he’d actually said. “Didn’t see ya coming.”

“Hottie?” She gave him a befuddled look.

He nodded over and over. “Yeah, yeah, of course.” He threw a hang loose sign as he started walking away. “Shaka brah.” 

“Brah?” She said this to herself, as he was already too far away to hear. 

Oh well, she thought. She’d have more chances to figure out why a guy like that was interested in theatre. This school really didn’t make any sense, or maybe it did, just a different kind of sense from what she was used to. She certainly had no reason to complain.

“Laura!”

She turned to see Elizabeth, who was holding a clipboard and looking eager. “What’s up, Madame President?”

“I need you to go to the dressing room,” she said. “It’s time to get rolling on your costume and makeup. We really want Puck’s design to be something special, so Carmilla is going to make you something.”

“Carmilla is going to… make me something?”

“Yeah, so she’s going to measure you, talk about her vision, you know, art stuff.”

“Art stuff,” Laura said, unable to do anything but repeat Elizabeth’s words back to her.

“Great! I don’t know if you’re going to be doing multiple costume changes, it completely depends on what Carmilla and Ms. Parker decide.”

“Right, it’s whatever the director wants.”

“Mhm! Carmilla should be waiting for you in the dressing room, so head back there. We want to run one of your scenes in about forty-five minutes, so that should give you time to at least get started. Bye!”

“Bye,” Laura said as Elizabeth left in a rush of light, floral perfume. 

Laura felt very aware of the sound of her footsteps as she walked backstage, over the old, speckled linoleum towards the dressing room, towards motorcycle girl. Carmilla. Her brain was full of curiosity and chrome, and she reached out for the handle of the dressing room door, feeling her heartbeat coursing through her body, making her fingertips pulse. 

She opened the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Laura just has a way of ending up in the middle of everything, doesn't she? I am so ready to start describing Carmilla's outfits and attitude. So ready! I plan to put the next chapter up on Wednesday!


	7. New Girl and Costumer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla and Laura have a tense introduction.

Laura had only been in the dressing room twice before. She’d spent her rehearsal off-time sitting in the front row of seats or the orchestra pit, doing her homework or listening to the rest of the cast run lines onstage. She hovered in the doorway, looking in. The same dirty gray and white linoleum that made up the hallway floor made up the floor of the dressing room, the fluorescent lights reflecting off of the old, waxy sheen and making puddles of light underfoot. Every mirror on the walls held the image of the girl that sat in the middle of the room in a folding chair, her feet up on a second folding chair, completely absorbed in her phone. 

Laura took a deep breath. This was it. This was her, motorcycle girl, Carmilla, not ten feet away. 

Carmilla was wearing dark jeans and combat boots, a dark gray tank top with what looked like red flowers on it, and a large black leather jacket with a silver zipper. The jacket looked old and used, with battered cuffs around the wrists and a faded lapel. She looked up from her phone, making eye contact with Laura. Her eyes were dark, so dark they seemed the pull the light in, lined with black, and Laura had to fight to keep from shrinking away from the door as Carmilla raised one eyebrow at her.

“Hi,” Laura said, still clinging to the door handle, “I’m Laura.”

“I know,” Carmilla said. “I know who I’m in charge of.” She kicked the second folding chair away and it slid across the floor, squeaking as it went. 

“Okay,” Laura said slowly. 

“Come stand over here,” Carmilla said, gesturing to a spot next to one of the many counters. “And put your arms out.”

“Okay,” Laura repeated. She followed the instructions hesitantly. 

Motorcycle girl - Carmilla, Laura had to remind herself - Carmilla didn’t speak as she pulled out a tape measurer and began to run it over Laura’s arms, taking notes on a notecard.

“So, uh, you’re a junior, right?” Laura asked. “And you’re in charge of the costume department? That’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah, cool,” Carmilla said sarcastically without turning back from her notecard. “Did Betty tell you that?”

Laura scowled. What was this girl’s problem? “Bet… oh, Elizabeth? Yeah, I guess. Are you friends with her?” 

Carmilla turned back around, and Laura thought she saw the last second of an eye roll. “Keep your arms up.” That was all she said. She stepped forward, close to Laura, slipping the measuring tape around her waist. Laura felt the hair rise on the back of her neck as Carmilla pulled the tape tighter, looking down at the numbers, and as Laura took a breath she smelled sandalwood and cinnamon and began to feel lightheaded. Carmilla slid the tape up to measure across her bust and Laura fought to keep herself from blushing. She felt angry at herself, for still being flustered by someone so rude and distant. 

“You can put your arms down now,” Carmilla said, sounding bored. 

Laura lowered her arms, deciding to give conversation another try. “So, you like sewing?”

This time, Laura saw the full eye roll, the whites of Carmilla’s eyes clear and stark against her black eyeliner. “No, cupcake, I gift this school hours of my unpaid labor in return for the glory that the theatre club affords me.”

“Sorry,” Laura said, but not in an apologetic tone. “Did I do something to offend you?”

Carmilla blinked. “I don’t know you. I don’t have to talk to you. All I have to do is my job, and I assure you, I’m going to do it impeccably.” She knelt in front of Laura and began to measure her legs from her waist to the floor. Laura had no idea how to respond and just stood there, mouth slightly open in indignation, too upset to even blush when Carmilla ran her hands down her inner thigh, measuring her inseam. 

“That’s it,” Carmilla said after a few more minutes of work and stunned silence from Laura. “You can go.”

Laura crossed her arms. “You know what? I’m surprised.”

“Excuse me?”

“Laf said you were cool, and they’ve had great judgment about everything else, but they are dead wrong about you!”

Carmilla smiled wryly. “Not sweet enough for you, am I, cupcake?”

“There’s no reason to be so rude! You don’t know me!”

“Oh? I don’t know you? Let me prove otherwise! You, my darling, are a prissy, pastel, private-school girl who is naive enough to think she can come in and change the order of things just because she was special enough to land a lead. But guess what? You’re not special, you can’t change anything, and you’re not entitled to my time or attention.” 

Laura bristled, trying to square her jaw and look intimidating, but she was more than aware of the light pink shearling jacket she was wearing. “Fine!” She turned to storm out. 

“Might I suggest hanging out with Danny and the rest of the summer psychos instead of me?” Carmilla said sweetly. 

“You might,” snapped Laura, “but I think I can figure out that I don’t want to waste my time on you all by myself, thanks.” She yanked the door open, then paused in the threshold, looking over her shoulder. “And, you know, hating pastels is just internalized misogyny.”

She slammed the door before Carmilla could respond. 

* * * * 

She was still seething when she got home, sitting in front of her webcam, glaring into it.

“Turns out motorcycle girl is a raging… bad person,” she said. “I’m so upset at myself for thinking she’s so, you know, interesting and…” she remembered the smell of cinnamon and sandalwood, Carmilla’s hands on her waist. She shook her head from side to side as if she could clear it like an etch-a-sketch. “She’s unfortunately hot, but it does not matter, because she is inconsiderate and awful. I’m going to talk to Laf tomorrow and ask them what on earth they see in her.”

She poured herself an enormous mug of cocoa, and curled up in bed with The Prisoner of Azkaban, to read until she felt better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I tag this idiots to lovers? Because like, wow, idiots.


	8. New Girl Asks Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura tries to get to the bottom of why Carmilla was so rude to her.

“I just don’t understand.”

Laura was fuming quietly, kicking the leg of her desk over and over. Laf, looking a little bit harried, was trying to explain Carmilla’s behavior with no success. “Listen, she’s - she’s not usually - I mean, sometimes, but?”

Laura raised the pitch of her voice mockingly. “‘Might I suggest hanging out with the summer psychos instead?’ Ugh!” She gave the desk leg another sturdy kick. The desk slid an inch forward, and Laura pulled it back in, making a face. “Whoops.”

“She and Danny had some kind of fight a long time ago. She probably just thought you two are closer than you are - you know, yet.”

Laura took a deep breath. “What kind of fight?”

“I honestly don’t know. I don’t even know when it was. I’ve tried to ask some of the seniors about it, but it seems like nobody really wants to talk about it. Either that, or they just don’t want to admit that they don’t really know what happened. But I do know that the two of them will barely hang out in the same room together, and I’ve certainly never seen them speak.”

“How does the theatre club handle that?”

Laf shrugged. “I don’t know how they handled it before, but it seems like Elizabeth does a pretty good job of keeping them apart. It doesn’t seem to bother her. She just wants things to go smoothly.”

“I don’t know how anyone is that efficient,” Laura said thoughtfully.

“Yeah, it’s impressive.”

“Will we be that efficient when we’re seniors?”

“Doubt it.”

“Good. I don’t think I’d like it.”

“I wouldn’t either.” Laf ran a hand through their short, red hair. “You know, if you keep trying to get closer to Danny, Carmilla might never be friendly to you. She seems suspicious of the whole summer society, and none of Danny’s close friends ever get invited to her place. I know you’re curious about that, and I-”

“Why would I want to hang out with someone that mean? Even if she is-” she cut herself off.

“Is what?”

Laura, who was going to say something along the lines of ‘incredibly hot,’ just looked at Laf moon-eyed. 

“Oh,” Laf said, correctly interpreting her expression. “You’ve got a thing for scary, don’t you? Danny’s intimidating too.”

“I guess.” Laura rolled her eyes. “But it doesn’t matter. She made it very clear that we aren’t going to be so much as friends.”

“Well, I think it’s weird. You seem right up her alley - up the alley of that whole group. You’re smart, you’re interesting, you’d fit right in. I think it must have to do with Danny.”

“Well, Danny is way nicer, so I guess I’m just going to have to not care about Carmilla and her parties.”

The bell rang, and Laf gave Laura a quick grin before they put their chin in their hands and turned their attention to the front of the classroom. 

* * * * 

Generally speaking, Laura struggled to let things go. But she found that it was easier than expected to put thoughts of her rude costumer out of her mind when she instead let her mind wander to Danny’s tall, elegant form, her blue eyes and her red-gold hair. Laura found herself chewing on her pencil in her English class, staring off into space. Strong jaw… long legs… nothing to complain about. It would be easy, easy to forget about Carmilla.

She was still thinking about all of that as she walked to her locker after the bell rang, completely distracted, not so much as paying attention to where she was going. Students rushed by her in waves, chattering, the smells of perfumes washing over her, smells of vanilla and jasmine and fruit. 

“Hey, Hollis!”

Laura jumped straight up in the air, almost dropping her books. “Oh my god!” 

“Sorry!” Danny laughed, reaching one hand out to steady her. “Careful there.”

“Sorry, I was thinking about all the homework I have to do,” Laura lied, feeling the light touch of Danny’s fingers on her shoulder and a blush start to creep up her neck.. “It’s going to be a super busy night.”

“Yeah, it’s gonna get even crazier when we get closer to the show.” They began walking side by side towards Laura’s locker. Laura found that travelling the halls was smoother with Danny beside her - everyone seemed to clear out of Danny’s path. Laura couldn’t blame them. She cut an imposing figure, tall and broad and lovely. 

“I can barely believe it’s already February.”

“No kidding. But that’s not why I’m here.” 

They had stopped at Laura’s locker, and Laura almost didn’t hear what Danny had said because she was concentrating so hard on remembering her combination. “Oh?”

Danny leaned casually on the locker next to Laura’s. “Are you doing anything after rehearsal tonight?”

“Homework, I guess,” Laura said, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice. It was Friday. Laf wouldn’t be available.

“Feel like doing it at my house?”

“Doing it? Oh, homework. Yeah, um, I mean, I don’t have that much. Your house?”

“Yeah.” Danny peeked into Laura’s locker. “Wow, this is really organized.”

“I like locker shelves,” she said defensively. She glanced up. Danny was looking down at her, smiling crookedly, fiddling with her stack of thin leather bracelets. 

“I can drive you if you’re down.”

“Yes,” Laura said. “I would love that.”

Danny pushed herself off of the locker. “Cool.” She waved as she started walking away. “See you in the theatre, Hollis.”

“Bye,” Laura said, resisting the urge to jump up and down in front of everyone in the hallway. Her heartbeat was ringing in her ears. 

* * * * 

“Do you want anything to drink? Cup of decaf, maybe?”

“Is there hot chocolate, by any chance?” Laura asked hopefully.

“Mm, I’m afraid not.”

“Water’s good, then.”

“Kay, I’ll be right back.”

Laura looked around Danny’s room. It was large, with enough room for a bed as well as a desk and a soft loveseat, where Laura sat, taking it all in. All the walls were covered in shelves of trophies and ribbons, shining with gold and silver. She read labels - softball, high jump, jiu jitsu, sprinting, even badminton. Most of the prizes seemed to be from Silas, but some seemed to be older. They…

She blinked.

She couldn’t focus. Her brain kept drifting back to the dressing room, the flecked linoleum, the harsh glare of the lights, the walls of mirrors catching the silvers in the room and making them all glow and shine, the folding chair, the zippers on Carmilla’s jacket, the studs on Carmilla’s combat boots, Carmilla, Carmilla. All metal and leather and-

“A water for the lady,” Danny said, pushing the door open. 

Laura jumped. 

“Sorry, did I scare you?” Danny held out the glass of water, and Laura took it. She looked up into Danny’s light blue eyes, a cloudless summer afternoon, and smiled. She was being ridiculous. Danny was sweet, and gorgeous, and hopefully a good listener.

“Uh, yeah,” she said. Talking about it would help, right? “Yeah, I’m just obsessing about the play. My costumer - you know, Carmilla? She was super rude to me and I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Danny sat slowly down on the loveseat next to Laura, crossing her long legs. “I know Carmilla. What did she say?”

“Nothing like, particularly awful I guess. I mean, she called me prissy. But it was mostly just that I was trying to be friendly and she kept brushing me off and being sarcastic and rude - I don’t get it. I had never talked to her before. It’s making me crazy and I don’t know why-”

“Listen, Hollis.” Danny brushed one hand lightly across Laura’s knee. “Carmilla has this… quality about her. Everyone that meets her wants her to like them, no matter how mean she is. It’s this weird charisma thing - it takes time to be able to see past it. She’s all faux-mysterious and dark, but really, she’s just sad and empty and tries to fill that up by making people obsessed with her. Don’t feel bad for getting sucked it.” 

Laura sighed. “Thanks. I don’t want to let it bother me this much. It’s just weird because Laf is my best friend here.”

“Laf is enigmatic.” 

“They said you and Carmilla had a fight.”

“In a way,” Danny said, smiling wryly. “It’s complicated.”

“I have time.”

She puffed out her cheeks, then let them deflate with a long exhale. “Well. You know Elle?”

“I’ve seen her.”

“She was my best friend for years before she and Carmilla got together. They met our freshman year. Then it was goodbye Elle. Thank god the Society was there for me.”

“Wait, I thought you were a grade older than Elle and Carmilla.”

“Yes and no. I took online and summer classes so I could get ahead, so I’m graduating a year early. It was partly because of that - without Elle I didn’t see the point of doing the whole high school experience thing, you know?”

Laura’s next question - did you have feelings for Elle? - hovered in her brain, but she chose not to ask it. “Is that… everything?”

“There’s more, but I’ll tell you another time.” She sighed. “Let’s do some math, huh?”

“Sounds good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As soon as I came up with a posting schedule my life got crazy and I didn't update for like a month and a half, so this time no schedule!! I'll just post whenever. Hope you're enjoying the drama, the plot is going to continue to thicken!


	9. New Girl Gets Dance Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura gets closer to someone.

Danny’s explanation of her relationship with Elle soothed Laura’s nerves somewhat - the tension between them whenever they did scenes as Helena and Hermia had been palpable before, and without that knowledge, the strange energy had made Laura anxious. She could hear it, now, in Danny’s voice, when she said “and though she be but little, she is fierce-” the slightest waver. Laura wondered if anyone else heard it, too. If Elle heard it.

Elle certainly yelled back convincingly - “‘Little’ again! Nothing but ‘low’ and ‘little!’” - and as Laura watched her from backstage, transfixed, she thought that Elle’s clenched fists and wide eyes seemed past acting, too. 

When the director called for a ten minute break, this time, Danny and Elle stood facing each other, silent for a short moment that seemed to stretch between them and then snap. They broke into nervous laughter. Elle looked down at the toes of her black leather boots.

“Are you okay?” Laura barely heard Danny ask. 

Other voices were rising in chatter around them, but Laura watched closely. She saw Elle’s eyes flick back up to Danny’s face, her chin tilting up - even in her heels, there was a lot of distance between them. “Um, yeah, it’s fine. Thanks.”

With some annoyance, Laura noticed that this slight show of vulnerability made Elle even prettier. Her eyes were wide, her fingers with their maroon-painted nails fidgeting with a silver cuff she wore on her forearm. 

Carmilla’s voice cut into the moment, calling from the opposite wing. “Hey, Elle! Would you come help me with something?”

The moment was broken, and with one last quick glance Laura couldn’t quite identify - was it confusion? Thoughtfulness? Hope? - Elle looked up at Danny, and then without another word, turned and followed the sound of Carmilla’s voice.

Laura pushed herself up and walked over to Danny, who was standing still, looking after Elle. Her eyebrows had the slightest furrow.

“Hey, are you doing okay?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I dunno, Hollis. Thanks.”

Laura beckoned her down, and Danny lowered her head. Laura got up on her toes to whisper, “Do you like her?”

Danny didn’t seem surprised that she had asked, and laughed a little bit. “I did, for a really long time, but I never told her. I assume someone has by now, but I guess there’s no way to be sure. Anyway, it’s in the past now. I don’t feel any of that, just, you know, weirdness.” She glanced into the wings, where Elle was holding a garment up while Carmilla fussed with what looked like a hook and eye. “But maybe we’re getting over that now.” 

Laura watched as Elle gave Carmilla a kiss on the cheek, and her stomach gave a confusing pitch and drop. She looked away quickly, back up to Danny, who also looked a little sick. 

“I just don’t get it,” she said quietly. “I can get over a lot, you know? But I’m not sure about that.” 

Laura hadn’t spoken to her costumer since their encounter in the dressing room. She shrugged. “I don’t get it either.”

“She’s coming back over here,” Danny said, whipping her head away and looking at Laura. “Act like we’re talking!”

“You’re amazing,” Laura said, just slightly louder than she probably should have. “The only thing this play is missing is a place to show off how athletic you are.”

Danny, completely taken aback, started laughing. 

“I told Ms. Parker we should do the ballet version of this show,” Elle said, walking up to them and smiling at Laura. “Would that have been athletic enough for you, Puck?”

“Um, yeah, but I’d never have gotten this part.” 

Elle arched a perfect eyebrow. “No ballet in your background?”

“No dance at all,” Laura said, uncomfortable with where this conversation was going. “So how-”

“Oh my god,” Elle interrupted. “Are you serious?”

Laura gave Danny a panicked look. Danny returned it.

“Uh, yeah.”

“Oh, no. C’mere c’mere c’mere-” Elle reached out for Laura, placing one hand on her waist and taking Laura’s hand with the other. “Look, it’s easy, okay? Is this okay?”

“Yeah,” Laura said, her voice tight. She could feel Elle’s hand in hers, the weight of her rings, the smooth edges of her nails. She looked up cautiously into Elle’s smiling face, and found herself relaxing a bit in spite of herself. Maybe this could be fun.

“Okay. I’ll lead. So step backwards with your right foot - yes, that’s it - now follow that with your left foot, but put it out to the side a bit more - just a little more, do you see how I’m stepping? Good. Now close your feet with your right foot. Yeah, see? Easy?”

Laura was looking hard at Elle’s feet, thinking that Elle couldn’t be much taller than her, really, not without the heels on.

“Now the opposite. Follow me. Left foot forward.”

She relaxed into Elle’s guiding hand. 

Elle was giggling. “Okay, now I’ll move us around the stage a bit. Just follow me and do the same steps over and over.”

Elle counted out the measures aloud and Laura followed her, matching her step for step, the smell of her perfume enveloping them - she smelled light and sweet, like pomegranates and the full, rich flowers of summer, and as Laura took a deep breath, she looked up into her face. Her brown eyes were friendly, and she smiled encouragingly. Without thinking, Laura said, “How do you get your eyebrows to look like that?” 

“Anastasia dipbrow gel. Here, let me twirl you - perfect, and back with your right foot. Do you want to borrow some? I think we wear the same color.”

“Wow, um, maybe.” Laura looked over Elle’s shoulder and felt a chill in her stomach as she saw Carmilla in the shadows, backstage, glaring daggers at them both. “I don’t mean to pry-” she absolutely meant to pry- “but is Carmilla okay?”

“Just another one of her moods,” Elle said, but Laura saw the briefest scowl rush across her face. “Nothing out of the ordinary.” 

“You’re so nice,” Laura said, as Elle gently guided them to a stop in front of Danny, who was clapping for them and laughing.

“I try,” Elle said. “You know, people like people who can dance. Boys… girls… either...” she looked at Laura expectantly. 

“Girls,” Laura said. 

“Mhmm.” Elle looked up at Danny, then away again. “Girls like people who can dance. Anyway, come get me if you want to try…” her voice trailed off, and Laura followed her gaze to Carmilla, who turned away with what looked like a huff and stormed off. “The brow stuff,” she finished quietly. “Great.”

She hurried off at a clip, her heels clattering on the floor. 

* * * * 

“Anyway, this Carmilla stuff gets more confusing by the moment, journal. But Elle’s nice, and maybe next time I dance, it can be with Danny.” Laura sighed. “You know what? It’s not enough. It’s not going to be enough. I can’t figure out why someone who seems so sweet would be with someone like that, and I don’t think I can figure it out on my own - not with her seeming to hate me the way she does. I’m sick of this. I’m going to text Laf, and get them to tell me everything they know about Carmilla.”

Laura closed her webcam with a decisive click.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a quick chapter! Writing through the holiday season is a challenge, so I'm happy to have something this early in January. I've had so many ideas about this and I'm excited to write them!! I'm less excited about the amount of typos I found during my reread. Oops. Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! That's cool of you!


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